Les Trois Mousquetaires Baltic Porter 2011 Review

Here is a new and interesting product that recently appeared on some select LCBO shelves as part of the fall releases - Les Trois Mousquetaires' Baltic Porter, the first Les Trois Mousquetaires brew to come to Ontario. I have had some mixed experiences with some of their other beers, but when a 10% brew appears in Ontario, I have to try it...and sometimes review it.

As expected, the porter is black and hazy...not that you can see that due to its darkness, but this is an unfiltered beer and if you hold it up to a light, you will be able to see how hazy it is. The beer pours with a thick, bubbly mocha-colored head, which recedes rather quickly to a thin ring around the edges of the glass with some bubbly activity in the middle.

The aroma is bold, heavy on the toasted grains with espresso, chocolate and sweet dried fruit (cherries and a bit of raisins) notes. The taste is fantastic, but definitely not for the light drinkers or those who do not like coffee. Why? Because the flavour is predominantly espresso and roasted grains with some milder chocolate notes, some vanilla, some fruits and spices. The finish is long, warm, smoky, heavy on the coffee/roasted grains but with a bit more sweetness. After a minute or two, some mellow, earthy notes start to emerge, which compliment the beer's smoky character. Absolutely fantastic finish.

And about the 10% ABV...what 10%? The high alcohol content has been masked very well and only minor booze hints emerge here and there. You can easily drink this whole bottle and realize that it is 10% only when it hits you in the head.

Overall, this is a very impressive porter, which I strongly recommend. Get it before it is sold out, or just drive over to Quebec.

Scores:
Cost - $9.95 for a 750 mL bottle
Taste - 9/10
ABV - 10%

Overall - 9.1/10...feel like giving it an extra 0.1 for its amazing finish and 10% ABV...and the 750 mL bottle